Film splicing apparatus



Aug- 30 l949- l E. M. wAGGoNER 2,480,794

lFILM SPLICING APPARATUS ATTORNEYS Aus. 30, 1949. E. M. WAGGONER 2,480,794

FILM SPLICING APPARATUS Filed June 17. 1947 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f' s um I E 3 94 4 Unno u l u I I I :u I I fj l III I III* I 95 93 Il v I I ,am f; nl I' illuminano f1 Gili/ID mgnlnondldlmnm@ KISS/M000 unborn A I I I I I nmnqoono I I l? I l 24 92 /0 34 g5 l?! \l .Y 7.9 0 L' INVENTOR ik ZWOOMWGG/VR a BY ' ATTORNEYS Patented ug. 30, 1949 FILM sPLIcING APPARATUS Elwood M. Waggoner, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to Frederick Hart & Co., Inc., Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 17, 1947, Serial No. 755,131

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing splices in motion picture lms Without Spreading or thickening of the films at the splice. It is especially applicable t the splicing of lms of the acetate, Vinylite, and other so-called noninflammable types.

The invention provides means whereby the ends of the lms to be spliced may be accurately supported and conned and whereby closely controlled temperatures and pressures may be applied to the film ends so that splices are achieved which require no trimming and which are of such thickness and exibility as to be substantially indistinguishable from the rest of the lm.

AIn the case of loop lms in sound-on-lm recorders for example, it is desirable that the spliced lms be able to pass smoothly through the recording and reproducing heads. The apparatus of my invention produces splices which are of substantially the same thickness as the rest of the lm so that the recording and reproducing heads are preserved from mechanical shock in passing over the splices. If the films to be spliced bear previously embossed sound tracks it is important that the lateral registry between the spliced portions be such that the reproducing stylus in passing across the splice will not jump to an adjacent parallel sound track.

AWhile some of the advantages of my invention have been pointed out with reference to ilms for use in sound-on-ilm recorders, the transparency, uniformity and Iiexibility of the splices which may be made with the apparatus of my invention are desirable in other uses of motion picture lms as well.

My invention will be better understood from an examination of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures in which: y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device adapted to the practice of the present invention; y

Fig. 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, shown partly in section as taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3- 3 of Fig. 1 but at double the scale of Fig. 1,

showing particularly the means for holding the film ends in position during splicing; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, also at double the scale of Fig. 2.

VReferring to Figs 1 and 2, a suitable frame I supports from below a lower plate holder I9 against which an upper plate holder i8 may be resilently pressed by force exerted from above. The holders i8 and I9 are preferably made of a nomnetallic material such as Bakelite having low heat capacity and conductivity. A shaft 3 is mounted in the frame I against motion lengthwise of its own axis relative to the frame. The shaft 3 supports the upper plate holder I8 and means for stressing the same against the lower plate holder I witha stress ranging up to some 256 lbs. VThe shaft 3 carries a bracket 4 movable lengthwise thereof but prevented from rotation with respect thereto by its engagement with a keyway on the shaft. Extending from the underside of the bracket 4 approximately over the center of the holder I9 is a pressure shaft 8. The shaft 8 carries on its lower end a cup I6 open downwards into which ts a compression coil spring 4U capable of withstanding a higher stress than the maximum employed in splicing without complete collapse of its coils. A lower spring cup I5 receives the stress of the coil spring 48 and transmits it to the upper pressure plate I8. The upper and lower cups are held together by means of guide plates I1. The flexible connection provided by the spring 46 and the guide plates I between the shaft 8 and the upper plate holder I8 permits alignment between the upper and lower plate holders when they are pressed together, regardless of the orientation and flexing oi the shaft 8 and bracket 4 with respect to the frame I. The holders I8 and I9 are squeezed together with the ilrn` ends to be spliced therebetween by means of stress transmitted from the shaft 3 to the bracket 4 through the mechanism of a rack 5` lon the bracket 4 and a pinion 6 ahxed to the shaft 3 by means of a pinion bracket 7. The pinion '6 is journaled in the pinion bracket 'I Yand may be rotated by means of a lever and handle II xed to the shaft of the pinion. When the handle II is released, the bracket 4 is raised sor as to separate the pressure plates by means of a coil spring 4I engaged about the shaft 3 between the pinion bracket 'I and the bracket 4.

The splicing is accomplished by heating and y pressing the ends of the lm, very slightly overf lapped as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, between two smooth plates 22 and 23 of a material having ,a low heat conductivity mounted in the upper and lower plate holders I8 and i9, respectively. The plates 22 and 23 lie in shallow mortises cut ln the holders, so that the plates project above the surface of the holders. The plates 22 and 23, which may be of glass or mica or similar mate- ;rial, should be perfectly plane and should have 3 a high degree of polish so as to minimize damage to the sound tracks embossed in the film which is squeezed therebetween in the process of splicing. Corning Vycor glass number '790 is suitable for the purpose. The glass plates are retained in the holders I 8 and. I9 by plate retainers 2D and 2i (shown in Figs. 1 and 4) having a thickness slightly less than that ofthe plates;A sov that the, stress between the plate holders -It and I9 is restricted to the area of the glass plates. Spreading of the lm laterally during the splicing proc'- ess is prevented by a pair of thin sheet rnetat film retainers 24 and 25, which are fastened to the lower plate holder I9 se as'to overliethe lower glass plate 23 and to fori'n a halrtnlf width equal to that of the lm`toy bewspliced'.` The retainers are made of material. thinner than the lm to be spliced, so as not to atleet theA pressure applied to the film during the VsplicingV process. For example, iin splicing cellulose aetatelni 0.0075 in. thick, lm'retaifners 0.005- in. thick may be. used'.

HI-Ieat is applied to the restricted area otthe overlap of the ends ofthe lrns to be' spliced by means ot resistance wires 89 lying in contact with the glass plates on the sides thereof" away from the lms. The relatlon'o the. resistance wires to the glass plates and to the films is indi-v cated in Fig. 2 and Eig.` 3, in which the overlapped ends I- of^ twofil-ms to be spliced have been indicated. The low heat conductivity of glass makes possible the production of-KV temperatures sufficient to the spl-icing process in the minute area ofY the nlmv overlap without destruction othe embossed soundtracks awayv` :froml that area. The resistance wires SU, which may be made for example of "fGhromel-G in the'form' of a `ribbon .003 in. thick`and .040 in. wide, are connected through suitable leads to theY Y'frame I "and thence in paral-lelto a vari-able lowI voltage source (not shown), byf'means of which their. temperaturesmay be controlled overA wide limits.

'The lm endsl to be joined byr splicing are held in kact lateral registry for splicing on the lower plate holder I9 by means oftwo setsof sprocket hole engaging pins which extend up V'through the lower .plate holderl on` either side of Vthe glassI plate 23=l Both sets of pins 'are rigidly mounted together on af spiderN S below the lower plate holder; so that onev set of pins. positioning one lmend, may not-'move 'relative toV the other. The spider viliifrifzay be lweredby means o f a lever' 28f'so'as 'to retract thepins lflush withthe lower plateholder and allow'easyremoval of the spliced; lr. 'v Springs 29A raise the spider and-'keep the pinsextended abovethe lower plate holder when the'V lever 2-8- is released. Eachv setof pins comprises three pins y92,' 93, 'andy 94 arrayed in a tri-V angle so as to engage the film end against both longitudinal and lateralmovement, andthe spacingof the pins includes whatever play is normally given so as to prevent alll motion of-the film ends when'on'ce engaged on the pins. 'Complementary holes are provided in the upper plate holder to receive the pins whenftheplate holders; are pressed together. By-accurfateli spacingthepins crosswise of the lrn, the registrybthe ill'ln'sl aitthe splice can besol controlled 'that alt` sound tracks ononeside ofthe splice wilt be continu-- ous withY the same soundtrackson the other side ofthe splice, in the case olivafv splice ot ilrnsv already bearing soundL tracks'embo'ssed therein.v`

The pressure required to successfully splice the llm ends ris critical in relation to the tempera'- tureto whichthe-filmr ends tombe'. splicedV are raised. Unless the pressures and temperatures employed a're properly related the lm at the splice will be thicker or thinner than elsewhere and of different flexibility. The pressure is governed by the elastic characteristics of the spring 4t and the amount of compression thereof produced by motion of the bracket 4 relative to the shaft, after the upper glass plate has come into contact with the overlapped film ends. To pro- ,y vide accurate, uniform, and reproducible results an automatic pressure control mechanism is provided limits the motion of the bracket 4 to the required amount. This pressure control mecha is i is shown i-n Fig. 2. It consists of a IA; mounted on a plate I2 which i`s affixed te the pinion bracket 1. A bore 9 is provided in. the. side face of the bracket 4 into which.A the pin I4 drops when the bracket 4 has been' depressed along the shaft 3 the distance necessary to eiect proper compression or spring 49.' The plate -I2- is'ad'justable'in position along the pinion' bracket 'Iv to compensate for variations in the dimensions and velastic, properties. or they spring 49.

In making a splice the ends of the lms to be joined are trimmed square so as.V to have an overlap ofabout 1/@4 ofv an inch when the two ends are engaged on the sprocket hole engaging pins. The endso the films to be spliced 'are cleaned on the ffaces which are to adhere by means-ofa cleaner which willk remove oil and foreign matter; For a cellulose acetate iilm, for example, alcohol is suitable. The resistance wires are energized so" asv to bring the glass plates 22 and 23 to a temperature of approximately 1409 F; in the immediate area Yto vbe occupied by the film overlap. If the ends of the filmare carefully cleaned they may be spliced together; withoutthe use of al'solvent or adhesive by the application of properly relatedtemperatures and pressures. The ends "of`- the films to be spliced? are engagedon the pins andthe overlapping ends are squeezed together between the heated'g-lass plate'sw-itha stress suiiieient to provide an initial pressure on lthearea ofoverlap ofabout 10,000i lbs. vperI so. The minimum and maximum satisfactory pressures for splicing withouta sol-- vent are 9,700- and '11-,080- lbs. per' sq. in. respeo.- tively. 'For 35mm. lm and anv overlap of L/i in. a` pressure of 10,000 lbsper sq. in. is provided by a total stressA of- 225 lbs.A Heating. of the reV sistance wires Bil is continued ata rate sufci'ent togbri'n'g thetemperature or the lm at theoverlapfto"35f9` F. `-at the end"-V or one minute afterthe: first 4application of? pressure. Under? these conditions, oftemperature and pressure the over'- lapped ilm endsliow together andfthe'thickvness ofthe' overlap.; i's reduced fror'rr double the nlm thickness offO' in." to Vnot Umore' than GQ078- in1 Spreading of the film material laterally; is`v prevented bythe retainers- 2 l-afn -1l Z5. Since these retainers are thinner than thelm. theyr` bealrfno part/ot `the splicing pressure.

The current'to the' heating wires 80 is then tamed Qn and the splice is ieftt mi fOr-.abouti one minute so 'that the temperature ot the splice may 'fall below 'the distortion point foie the nlm. The'bra'cket'd is then liftedand the lmmay-be removed from; the splicing naturel depressingthe lever 25%' to disengage the. sprocketA hole. erifrom that off.y tl'ie.V rest. of. theJ nlm.. byfmore. them 0.0003 in. and the width of the film is unchanged so that the film is mechanically perfect at the splice for passing through an exposing frame or recording or reproducing head.

The structure hereinabove described in detail is of course intended only as an illustration of a particular embodiment of my invention. The form and disposition of the various parts of the structure may be varied Without departing from the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A nlm splicing apparatus comprising a base, a first support mounted on said base, a first glass film splicing plate mounted on said support, a first substantially straight electrical resistance heating element disposed beneath said glass plate, a film retaining member arranged at each side of said glass plate, the space between said retaining members being substantially equal to the width of the film to be spiced, a lever pivoted d gaging pins affixed to said supporting member and adapted to protrude retractably above the surface of said glass plate on either side thereof, an upright member arranged on said base, a bracket movably mounted on said upright member, a calibrated compression spring arranged beneath said bracket, a second support a'ixed to said spring, a second glass film splicing plate affixed to said second support, a second electrical resistance heating element arranged on said second glass film splicing plate in parallel relation with said rst heating element, a rack affixed to said bracket, a pinion supporting bracket adjustably xable on said upright member, a pinion journaled in said pinion supporting bracket and engaging said rack, means to rotate said pinion, and adjustable indexing means to limit the motion of said bracket upon the attainment of a prechosen compression of said spring.

2. In a film splicing apparatus a base, a plate holder supported on said base, a first plate mounted in said plate holder with its surface substantially ush with that of said plate holder, a. film retaining member of a thickness not greater than that of the film to be spliced disposed at each side of said plate and extending partially over the same, the space between said film retaining members being substantially equal to the width of the nlm to be spliced, a first heating element arranged transversely of said plate beneath the same, an upright member arranged on said base, a bracket movable lengthwise of said upright member, a calibrated compression coil spring arranged on the under side of said bracket, a second plate holder arranged on said coil spring to receive the stress imparted thereto by said bracket, a second plate mounted in said second plate holder, a second heating element arranged on said second plate in geometrically parallel relation with said first heating element, motor means for imparting motion to said bracket lengthwise of said upright member, and a plurality of film holding and engaging pins retractably protruding above the surface of said rst plate on either side thereof adapted to hold the ends of the films to be spliced in parallel relation with exact lateral registry.

3. A film splicing apparatus comprising a base, a smooth surfaced nlm support mounted on said base, a plurality of integrally formed lm sprocket hole engaging pins movably mounted on said base and retractably protruding above the surface of said film support on either side thereof lll in position to engage the ends of the films to be spliced with exact lateral registry thereof, an upright member mounted on said base, a stressing member movable with respect to said upright member, motor means for imparting .motion to said stressing member relative to said upright member, a smooth surfaced film pressing member movably mounted on said stressing member for abutment against said lm support, resilient spring means interposed between said stressing member and said lm pressing member for communicating stress from said stressing member to said llm pressing member, indexing means for limiting the motion of said stressing member relative to said upright member, and electrical resistance heating elements disposed on the remote faces of said nlm support and said film pressing member and adapted to heat the adjacent faces of said support and said member over a limited area.

4. A film splicing apparatus comprising a base, a film supporting member mounted on said base, an upright member mounted on said base, a stressing member movable relative to said upright member, motor means for moving said stressing member relative to said upright member, an elastic member mounted on said stressing member, a film pressing member movably mounted on said elastic member and receiving the stress exerted by said elastic member when the latter is strained by motion of said stressing member, an indexing bore in said stressing member, and a spring loaded indexing pin adjustably xable in said upright member along the path of said bore generated by motion of said stressing member.

5. A film splicing apparatus comprising a base, a first smooth surfaced pressure plate mounted on said base, an upright member, a bracket movably mounted on said upright member, motor means for imparting motion to said bracket lengthwise of said upright member, a calibrated elastic member mounted on said bracket mediately of said bracket and said first pressure plate, a second smooth surfaced pressure plate mounted on said elastic member mediately of said rst pressure plate and said elastic member, and electrical resistance heating elements disposed in substantially parallel relation on the remote sides of said pressure plates.

6. A film splicing apparatus comprising a base, a first smooth surfaced member mounted on said base, an upright member fixed in said base against motion lengthwise of itself relative to said base, a bracket movably mounted on said upright member, motor means for imparting motion to said bracket lengthwise of said upright member, a second smooth surfaced member mounted on said bracket for limited motion with respect thereto and adapted t0 abut against said first smooth surfaced member, resilient spring means interposed between said bracket and said second smooth surfaced member, and electrical resistance heating means mounted on said smooth surfaced members and adapted to heat the same along narrow opposite contacting areas thereof.

7. In a film splicing apparatus including a pair of pressure plates adapted to be stressed together between a base and an elastic member deformed by motion of a stressing member relative to an upright member affixed to said base, an automatic pressure limiting device comprising a spring loaded pin fixed relative to said upright member against motion transverse to its own axis and bearing against said bracket, and a bore in said bracket aligned with said pin with re-` sect to the motion of said" stressing member relative t@ said upright member.

8,. In a lm splicing apparatus including a pair of pressure plates adapted to be stressed together between a base and an elastic member deformed by motion of a bracket relative to an upright member affixed to said base, an automatic pres*- sure limiting device comprising; a recess in said bracket, and a spring loaded pin adjustablvifix-v able with respect to said upright member against motion transverse to its own axis along the line of' positions defined byV said recess in the course of motion of saidbracket.

ELWOOD WAGGOER.

REFERENCES CTD The following references are of record lin the file of this patent:I

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

